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R. H. UPSON.

RANGE FINDING INSTRUMENT. APPLICATION FILED NOV-$1916.

Patented Sept. 30, 1919.

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RANGE FINDING INSTRUMENT- APPLICATION FILED NOV- 9.191%.

' Patented Sept. 30, 191% 3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

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R. H. UPSON.

RANGE FINDING INSTRUMENT.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 9. 191a.

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Patented Sept. 30, 1919.

RALPH 1i. UPSON,

COMPANY, or

or met, omo, ASSIGNOR 'ro THE GOODYEAR TIRE & RUBBER- AKRON, 01110, ACORPORATION or 01110.

RANGE-FINDING INSTRUMENT.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Sept. 30, 1919.

Application filed November 9, 1916. Serial no. 1so,s7s.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, RALPH H. UPSON, a citizen of the United States,residing at Akron, in the county of Summit and State of Ohio, haveinvented new and useful Improvements in Range-Finding Instruments, ofwhich the following is a specification.

My present invention relates to position finders for use in connectionwith a military captive balloon, in order that the observations of theballoon may be corrected to compensate for the alterations in theballoons height and drift, with respect to a fixed position on theground.

The observation balloon has come to be a recognized necessity in modernwarfare, and

particularly as a range finder, wherewith the fire of long distancebatteries may be directed. When a captive balloon is sent up,

however, to report angles and ranges of the enemys fixedbatteries ortrenches, it will be apparent that some correction must be arranged forthis data in order to compensate for variations in elevations of theballoon and for its constantly shifting position in the air with respectto its tethering point upon the ground. L

It is to accomplish these corrections for the height and drift of theobservational balloon, with respect to the ranges or other data gatheredby the observersin the balloon, that I have devised my presentapparatus, and it has been One of the principal objects of my inventionto provide means of a mechanical nature which will be adjustable tofollow the irregular movements of the balloon, and which, when soadjusted, will automatically record the balloons position with respectto any fixed point upon the ground, so that the desired corrections inthe observers data may be immediately made.

The above and additional objects of a similar nature, which will behereinafter more specifically treated, are preferably accomplished bysuch means asare illustrated to practice and throughout the severalviews of which similar reference numbers designate corresponding parts;

Figure 1 is a panoramic view illustrating V the corrective slght of thisinvention in actual use;

Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken longitudinally through theprincipal elements of this invention;

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the same subject matter; A

Fig. 4 is a perspective detail of the vertical arm of the sight;

Fig. 5 is a partial perspective of. the horizontal arm of the sight; andj Figs. 6 and 'Z are diagrammatic illustrations of the theories of useof" the instrument.

The data gathered by an observational balloon in the effort to locate adistant point with relation to the balloon falls naturally under twoheads, namely; the distance from the balloon to the point; and the anglewhich a line connecting the balloon with the point makes with some fixedbase line, such as a north and south line. V In order that the distantpoint may be related to some point upon the ground adjacent the balloonit is only necessary to know the angle which a line (projected on theground) connecting the balloon with the ground point makes with the samebase line used for location of the distant point, and the distance fromthe bal-' loon to the ground point,

Since the position of the balloon is constantly shifting it is apparentthat the correctional data, which will relate the groundthe data isreceived at the latter position from the observation balloon.

By the instrument of this invention, enabled to gather both the angle ofthe balloon with any given base line, and the distance to the balloon,at one and the same observation, thus enabling the ground observer toinstantly relate by angle and distance, the distant point which wasnoted from the balloon. The means proposed herein to achieve the desiredresults consist first, of a circular plate 10 which is graduated at itsperiphery into degrees, minutes and seconds, or other angular measure,and

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cover plate 18 of the tripod head. Vertically adjustable within thesocket sleeve 15 is an elevation rod 19 which is graduated in accordancewith some suitable scale to denote height units, as is indicated by. thenumeral 20. This elevation rod is hollow and at its upper extremitycarries the sight cap 21 which is essentially conoidal in form,terminating in a sight point 22 and being provided with a stem 23whereby it may be removably established upon the upper extremity of theelevation rod 19.

The rod 19 is maintained at its adjusted elevation by means of anupright splitsocket 24: which is provided at the terminus of its slot 25with a pair of ears 26. These ears are adapted to be drawn tightlytogether through the medium of a thumb screw 27 to clamp the socketfirmly upon the rod 19. The socket 24- is erected upon the sight arm 28which is revoluble upon the plate 10 through the medium of a bearingportion 29. The bearing supporting the sight arm is centered on theplate by the rod 19 which passes therethrough.

The sight arm 28 is of the hollow square construction illustratedparticularly in Fig. 5 and for the greater portion if its length,exterior to the plate 10, is provided with vertical registering slots30. The sight rod is graduated with horizontal distance unitscorresponding with the graduations of the elevation rod, and hasslidable thereon a peep-box 31, which is formed upon its up-' persurface with a sight notch 32 in registry with the slots 30. Doubleslots 33 are formed within the sight rod 28 immediately over thegraduated periphery of the .plate 10, the under slots of each pair ofslots 33, terminating in a point 34 whereby the angles set off upon theplate lO by rotational movement of the sight arm 28 may be read off bythe user of the instrument.

In practice, the tripod of the device is set up with its plumb-bobdefining a verti- 35 of Fig. 6. An observer takes his stand by theinstrument and a second observer is in telephonic communication with thecaptive balloon 36 from which the observational data to be corrected isacquired. It is to be assumed that the recording instru ments of theballoon are oriented along a line 37 which is parallel to the orientline' of the ground instrument. If the distant object whose range isrequired is the battery A, the observer in the ballloon sighting thereatdiscovers the angle which is denoted by the character a. 1

The angle 5 changes with the drift of the balloon and is one of theangles to be discovered through the use of my instrument. This angleequals the angle 03 set off from the. orient line 35 when the balloon issighted through my instrument. Immediately upon receipt of the readingfor angle a, the ground observer is able to subangle X. The balloonobserver also tele phones down the distance along his line of sight mprojected on the ground. With the knowledge, of the length n of the projected line of sight at connecting the ground point with the balloon, theground observer is now able to calculate the triangle whose apexes aredetermined by the balloon, the ground point Z and th'e distant point A.With. this range trian'gle determined, the distance along the lineM andthe angle Y which such line makes with the original reference line 35may be read ily figured, which is the range desired.-

Reference to Fig. 7 will disclose the manner in which the instrument isused to as-. certain the distance of the line of si' ht n, j 105 whenprojected along the line n. 5 t the same time that the balloon observerfurnishes the other data with reference to the tract the angle a from bto secure the total range triangle, he adds the elevation of thebal-loon at that moment, which gives the distance y in this figure. Thelevation rod 19 of the instrument is quickly set to the scale markcorresponding to the distance 3 and the observer at the instrumentalines the sight of the peep-box 31 with the sight point 22 and with thebasket of the balloon 36 so that by the theory of similar triangles thedistance a may be read off upon the scale of the arm 28'.

It is to be noted that the simple act of sighting for the balloon along.theline of sight determined by the 'elevational arm 19 and the slidablepeep-box 31 at once dis covers the distance 11. upon the sight arms 28and the angle d upon the plate (0) thus enabling the instrument observerto immediately interpolate these quantities into the observational datafor the attainment of the correct angle and distance of the range M.Since the observer at the instrument is constantly following theshifting balloon at right angles to the first arm for rotationthereabout, and likewise provided with linear graduations, a sight pointfixed upon the first said arm and a sight box slidable upon the secondsaid arm.

2. In a range finding instrument, a plate carrying angular graduations,an element on said plate and carrying linear graduations, a sight pointcarried by said element, a second element associated with said plate andadjustable with relation thereto and a sight box adjustably mounted onsaid second element, said sight box being adapted to be placed in visualalinement with said sight point and another object.

3. In a range finding instrument, a plate carrying angular graduations,an arm plvotally mounted at the center of said plate and carrying lineargraduations, a sight box slidably carried by said arm, slots beingformed in said arm through which said sight box may be viewed andthrough which the graduations on said plate may be viewed,

and an elevation rod provided with a sight point, said sight point beingadapted to be placed in visual alinement with said sight box and anotherobject.

4:. In a range finding instrument, a plate having angular graduationsand provided with a socket, an arm having a bearing upon said plate, asecond arm adj ustably mounted in said socket and atright angles to thefirst mentioned arm, to center the bearing of the latter upon'said late.v

'5. In a range nding instrument, a graduated plate, a aduated armmounted for rotation in a p ane substantially parallel to f the plane ofsaid plate, a second graduated 1 said sight point may arm substantiallyat right angles -to said plate, said arms being adjustable with relationto each other, a sight point carried by said second arm,-a sight boxadjustable longitudi'nally on said first arm and provided with a peephole whereby said sight box and be brought in visual alinement with someother object.

6. In a range finding. instrument, a graduated plate, a graduated armmounted for rotation in a plane substantially parallel to witnesses.

the plane of said plate, a second graduated arm substantially at rightangles to said plate, said arms being adjustable with relation to eachother, a sight point carried by one of said arms, a sight box adjustablelongitudinally on the other of said arms and provided with a peep holewhereby said sight box and said sight point may be brought in visualalinement with some other object.

7. In a range finding instrument, a plate carrying graduations, an armdisposed in approximately the same plane as said plate, a second arm atapproximately right angles to said first arm, the first'and second armsbeing adjustable with relation to each other, and with relation to saidplate, and a sight box adjustably mounted on said first arm, all for thepurpose described.

8. In a range finding instrument, a plate carrying graduations, an armdisposed in approximately the same plane as said plate and adjustablewith relation thereto, a second arm disposed atapproximately rightangles to said first arm, said first and second arms being adjustablewith relation to each other, and a sight box adjustably mounted on oneof said arms, all for the purpose described.

9. In a range finding instrument, a graduated plate, a horizontal armmounted for movement in a plane substantially parallel to said plate andadjustable with relation thereto, an arm perpendicular to saidhorizontal arm, said horizontal and perpendicular arms being adjustablewith relation to each other, a sight point on said perpen dicular arm, asight box adjustably carried by said horizontal arm for alinement withuated plate, a graduated arm perpendicular thereto, a graduatedhorizontal arm mounted for rotation about said perpendicular arm as anaxis and in a plane substantially parallel to said plate, saidperpendicular and horizontal arms being adjustable with relation to eachother, a sight point on said perpendicular arm and a sight boxadjustably carried by said horizontal arm for alinement with said sightpoint and some other object.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name in the presence of twosubscribing RALPH H. UPSON.

Witnesses:

B. J. MODANEL, L. E. WAGNER.'

